Tattooing involves the placement of pigment into the skin's dermis, the layer of dermal tissue underlying the epidermis. After initial injection, pigment is dispersed throughout a homogenized damaged layer down through the epidermis and upper dermis. As healing proceeds, the damaged epidermis flakes away (eliminating surface pigment) while deeper in the skin granulation tissue forms, which is later converted to connective tissue by collagen growth. This mends the upper dermis, where pigment remains trapped within fibroblasts, ultimately concentrating in a layer just below the dermis/epidermis boundary.
The most common method of tattooing in modern times is the electric tattoo machine, which inserts ink into the skin via a single needle or a group of needles that are soldered onto a bar, which is attached to an oscillating unit. The unit rapidly and repeatedly drives the needles in and out of the skin, usually 80 to 150 times a second. A significant number of individuals have tattoos making up approximately 15% of the world population.
The demand for tattoos continues to increase primarily for body art adornment, however tattoos are also used for religious, cultural, and medical indications. Sixteen percent of the tattoo consumers have been shown to eventually regret their tattoos, which is approximately 6.5 million people in the U.S. (Corso RA. Three in Ten Americans with Tattoo Say Having One Makes Them Feel Sexier. The Harris Poll. 2008). More than half of tattoo users are in the age group of 25-40 years of age with no significant difference between the number of male and female tattoo consumers (Corso RA. Three in Ten Americans with Tattoo Say Having One Makes Them Feel Sexier. The Harris Poll. 2008).
Currently, the most common and most effective technique for tattoo removal is high energy lasers. However, laser treatments require a long period of time and multiple sessions for substantial removal and a cost up to $10,000 (Millennials' Judgments about Recent Trends Not So Different. Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 2010). Laser treatments are also painful and have poor results often resulting in burn scars and smudged tattoos that are incompletely removed. According to the 2010 statistics of the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 1,430 establishments in the U.S. in the category of “tattoo services” with total revenue of about $200 million. (2007 Economic Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Updated 2010. Accessed Jun. 27, 2011). However, there are only 88 establishments in the category of “tattoo removal services” with revenue of $6 million (2007 Economic Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Updated 2010. Accessed Jun. 27, 2011).
Since current tattoo removal methods have not been overly successful, developing a non-permanent tattoo ink that is easily removable by a less expensive and painless removal method may be an optimal solution. Consumers should have the option of leaving no reminiscence of their tattoos while the manufacturers, tattoo artists, and doctors can profit financially from the popularity of this new ink. Therefore, there exists a need for tattoo inks that are amenable to removal. This disclosure meets this need.